Your article 'Pulling together' raises some important issues (see [2007] Gazette, 29 November, 16). Black and minority ethnic (BME) lawyers will be well placed to succeed in the reformed legal aid market. However, we cannot guarantee that BME firms and lawyers will be unaffected by change.
Our focus is on ensuring that clients - including those from BME communities - have access to the high-quality services they need. We want a legal aid system that is fair for socially excluded and vulnerable citizens, defendants, providers and the taxpayer. The current reforms are necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the legal aid system. It is up to individual organisations to choose how to structure themselves as a result of the changes.
We take our equality and diversity duties seriously. BME lawyers currently account for 16.5% of all legal aid lawyers - this is double the number of people from a BME background in the general population. The most recent statistics from the Law Society indicate that, by comparison, 9.1% of all solicitors are BME.
We have been working with a provider diversity reference group for over a year and intend to develop the work of this group further during 2008. The group, with members from several organisations such as the Black Solicitors Network and the Society of Asian Lawyers, advises and constructively challenges the LSC's work on diversity and helps us with important initiatives, such as training grants and forthcoming research into choices made by clients when selecting a defence lawyer.
We carry out impact assessments for every new policy that we introduce. Our commitment to this important work will continue as we move forward with the reform of legal aid.
Carolyn Regan, chief executive, Legal Services Commission
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